1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an electrical connector that can be easily assembled to a flexible printed board
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a conventional electrical connector 1 for connecting electrically a flat ribbon cable 2 to a circuit board (not shown). The flat ribbon cable 2 has one end portion formed with a plurality of conductive terminals 21. The conventional electrical connector 1 includes a mounting block 11, a plurality of terminal pieces 12 mounted on the mounting block 11 and aligned in a transverse direction, and a pressing block 13 connected pivotally to the mounting block 11. Each terminal piece 12 has a contact section 120 and an inverted L-shaped support section 123, wherein the contact section 120 has a connecting end portion 122 welded to the circuit board, a contact end portion 121 opposite to the connecting end portion 122 and contacting electrically a corresponding one of the conductive terminals 21, and an intermediate portion 125 interconnecting the connecting end portion 122 and the contact end portion 121. The pressing block 13 is pivotable relative to the mounting block 11, and is formed with an opening 132 extending in the transverse direction.
The pressing block 13 is operable so as to move between a pressing position and a releasing position. In the pressing position, the pressing block 13 presses against the end portion of the flat ribbon cable 2 such that the conductive terminals 21 are securely clamped between the pressing block 13 and the contact end portions 121 of the terminal pieces 12, as shown in FIG. 3. In the releasing position, the pressing block 13 is removed from the end portion of the flat ribbon cable 2, and a free end 1231 of the support section 123 of each terminal piece 12 extends into the opening 132 in the pressing block 13. As such, the pressing block 13 is supported by the support sections 123 of the terminal pieces 12, as shown in FIG. 2.
Since the conventional connector 1 is generally designed to a small size with specifications of about a 17 mm-length, 3 mm-width and 0.9 mm-height, it is difficult to operate manually during assembly.